Grenade carrier



June 25, 1957 H. F. BLACKMAN 2,797,034

GRENADE CARRIER Filed June 15, 1956 INVENTOR. HENRY F. BLMKMAN BY '24 a ATTOQME United States Patent Ofitice m 2,791,034 Patented June 25, 1957 2,797,034 GRENADE CARRIER Henry F. Blackman, Oakland, N. J. Application June 15, 1956, Serial No. 591,651

3 Claims. (Cl. 22426) This invention relates generally to article carriers and is more particularly concerned with a novel hand grenade carrier which may be readily mounted on a vertical shoulder strap of the knapsack of a combat soldier for the purpose of removably supporting thereon a hand grenade.

At present advise no suitable means has been provided for carrying hand grenades on the shoulder straps of the knapsack of a soldier during combat. The conventional shoulder straps of a knapsack generally have ring elements extending laterally therefrom adjacent the upper chest portion of a soldier utilizing the knapsack, during combat in order to have hand grenades in a readily available position, the soldiers would dispose the handle thereof through said ring element in a position for ready use. The grenades when secured or carried in this manner were susceptible to being lost and damaged. An alternate method was to tape the grenades on the shoulder straps of the knapsack adjacent the chest portion of the soldier. Neither of these methods proved to be satisfactory.

A primary object of invention is to provide a grenade holder which may be readily mounted on the shoulder straps of a knapsack including means permitting ready removal of said grenades when necessary.

A more specific object of invention in conformance with that set forth is to provide a grenade holder including an elongated base member having a hook portion at one end extendable through a loop element ex tending laterally from a vertically disposed shoulder strap, said base portion being juxtaposed on the shoulder strap and including at its lower end a transverse notch portion for disposition about an intermediate portion of the shoulder strap, and a pair of resilient U shaped clamp elements secured in spaced laterally extending transverse relationship from intermediate portions of the base member for disposition about spaced opposite side portions of a grenade member.

Another object of invention in conformance with that set forth is to provide a novel grenade holder which is readily and economically manufactured, easily used, and highly satisfactory, efiicient and practical for the purpose intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will subsequently become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a soldier having a conventional knapsack disposed thereon, showing the novel grenade holder mounted on one of the vertical shoulder straps of the knapsack assembly;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the novel grenade holder, showing a fragmentary portion of the shoulder strap upon which it is mounted, show- 2 ing in phantom lines the position assumed by a grenade disposed in the grenade holders;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a fragmentary upper torso portion of a soldier is indicated generally at S, said soldier having disposed on his shoulders a knapsack assembly 10 including vertically extending shoulder straps 12 and 14, said shoulder straps having extending laterally from upper end portions thereof suitably secured laterally extending loop elements 16.

Indicated generally at 18 is the novel grenade holder which comprises an elongated body member 20 which will be juxtaposed on the outer surface of the shoulder straps. Said body portion 20 terminates at its upper end in a resilient reverse bend longitudinally extending hook portion 22, see Figure 3, which will extend through the loop elements 16. The lower end portion 24 of the base member comprises a pair of reverse bend transverse tab elements 26 and 28 defining a notch portion 30 therebetween which receives therein an intermediate portion of the shoulder strap 14, for example.

Suitably secured, by means of rivets, spot welding or the like is a pair of overlying resilient U-shaped clamp elements 32 and 34 which extend in lateral transverse relationship from intermediate portions of the body member 20, said clamp elements including resilient arms for clampingly engaging therebetween spaced intermediate portions of a hand grenade G. As seen in Figure 2, the handle H of the hand grenade may be readily disposed in overlying relationship relative to arm portions of the resilient clamp elements 32 and 34.

Although the grenade holder has been disclosed and described in the exemplary embodiment as cooperating with an ellipsoid shaped hand grenade, obviously this holder may be utilized with hand grenades having other body shapes.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A grenade holder for use on a vertically depending shoulder strap having a laterally extending loop element comprising an elongated base member for juxtaposition on the shoulder strap, one end portion of said base member including a longitudinally extending hook portion for disposition through the loop element of the shoulder strap, the other end of said base member including a transverse notch portion for disposition about an intermediate portion of the shoulder strap, and a pair of overlying resilient U-shaped clamp elements secured in spaced laterally extending transverse relationship from intermediate portions of the base member, opposite arm portions of the clamp elements removably receiving therebetween intermediate portions of the grenade and permitting the grenade to be removed laterally from the shoulder strap.

2. A grenade holder for use on a vertically depending shoulder strap having a laterally extending loop element comprising an elongated base member for juxtaposition on the shoulder strap, one end portion of said base member including a longitudinally extending hook portion for disposition through the loop element of the shoulder strap, the other end of said base member ingrenade and permitting the grenade to be removed lateral- I 1y from the shoulder strap, said hook portion comprisinga reverse bend portion at one end of the base member terminating in a displaceable resilient end disposed in spaced relationship from the body member.

3. A grenade holder for use on a vertically depend- :ing. shoulder strap having a laterally extending loop element comprising an elongated base member for juxtaposition on the shoulder strap, one end portion of said base member including a longitudinally extending hook portion for disposition through the loop element of the shoulder strap, the other end of said base member including a transverse notch portion for disposition about an intermediate portion of the shoulder strap, and a pair of overlying resilient U-shaped clamp elements secured in spaced laterally extending transverse relationship from intermediate portions of the base member, opposite arm portions of the clamp elements removably receiving therebetween intermediate portions of the grenade and permitting the grenade to be removed laterally from the shoulder strap, said hook portion comprising a reverse bend portion at one end of the base member terminating in a displaceable resilient end disposed in spaced relationship from the body member, said notch portion at the other end of the base member comprising a pair of transverse tab elements defining reverse bend portions opening toward each other for disposition on opposite sides of an intermediate portion of the vertically depending shoulder strap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,403,707 Quarnstrom Jan. 17, 1922 2,523,185 Bedford, Jr Sept. 19, 1950 2,670,886 Walton Mar. 2, 1954 

